1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device. In particular, the present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a wireless communication function.
Note that a semiconductor device in this specification refers to as a general device which can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics, and electro-optical devices, semiconductor circuits, and electronic appliances are all semiconductor devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor devices having a wireless communication function for transmitting and receiving data wirelessly have been put into practical use in a variety of fields. Semiconductor devices having a wireless communication function is expected to further expand the market as a new mode of communication information terminals. In semiconductor devices having a wireless communication function, which are put into practical use, antennas and integrated circuits formed using semiconductor elements are formed over the same substrates. Further, semiconductor devices having a wireless communication function are also referred to as wireless tags, RF (radio frequency) tags, RFID (radio frequency identification) tags, IC (integrated circuit) tags, or ID (identification) tags.
The semiconductor device having a wireless communication function can communicate with a wireless communication device which is a power supply source and a transmitting and receiving device (also referred to as an interrogator, a reader/writer or R/W). Specifically, information of the semiconductor device can be read by an interrogator or the like. For example, by giving an identification number to the semiconductor device, an individual recognition can be performed by an interrogator.
In addition, a semiconductor device having a memory circuit portion including a plurality of memory elements and having a wireless communication function capable of writing information additionally has been developed.
As a memory element included in a memory circuit portion, a volatile memory and a nonvolatile memory are given. As a kind of memory element included in a nonvolatile memory, there is an antifuse memory element in which a memory layer is provided between a pair of conductors. In the antifuse memory element, when a high voltage is applied to the memory layer, an irreversible reaction occurs, so that a pair of conductors can be electrically connected to each other. That is, by identification of the resistance value of the antifuse memory element, binary data can be obtained.
An example of the above-described nonvolatile memory is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In an antifuse memory disclosed in Patent Document 1, amorphous silicon is provided between a pair of conductors. When a high voltage is applied to the amorphous silicon, a silicide reaction occurs, so that the pair of electrodes is electrically connected to each other. Such an antifuse memory is referred to as a one time programmable memory (OTP) memory, a one time programmable read only memory (OTPROM), a programmable read only memory (PROM), or the like.